Parks, Rosa. Rosa Parks Papers: Events, -2005; Featuring or honoring Parks; 1956 to 1959. - 1959, 1956. Manuscript/Mixed Material. https://www.loc.gov/item/mss859430239/.
As an educator, the Rosa Parks Papers—particularly the photographs, letters, and other materials—are invaluable resources for teaching about civil rights, social justice, and the history of resistance in the United States. These primary sources offer rich opportunities for students to engage with key themes and concepts in American history and social studies. Rosa Parks’ pivotal role in the Montgomery Bus Boycott demonstrates the impact of individual action in challenging institutionalized oppression. By examining the photographs and letters from the Rosa Parks Papers, students can explore how a single act of defiance can catalyze a mass movement for social change. This offers students the opportunity to critically analyze how personal choices contribute to collective resistance, reinforcing the idea that everyone can play a role in advancing social justice. In a high school history or social studies class, students can study the Montgomery Bus Boycott alongside these primary sources to analyze how individual actions have the power to challenge and dismantle systemic inequality.
The Rosa Parks Papers at the Library of Congress contain a rich collection of personal letters, photographs, documents, and other materials related to Rosa Parks’ life and activism. Parks, known for her pivotal role in the Montgomery Bus Boycott of 1955, became an iconic figure in the American Civil Rights Movement. This collection spans her lifetime, including documents from her youth in Alabama, her involvement in civil rights activism in Montgomery, and her later years in Detroit, where she continued to fight for racial justice and equality.
The papers provide detailed insights into Parks' personal life and activism, offering letters that illuminate her thoughts, reflections, and the relationships she had with other civil rights leaders like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and E. D. Nixon. The photographs in the collection capture key moments of Parks’ life, from her arrest in Montgomery to later years when she became an emblem of resistance and a symbol of courage. The documents also include materials that highlight Parks’ continued work in voter registration, economic justice, and anti-poverty efforts, even after her move to Detroit in the late 1950s.
The Rosa Parks Papers provide invaluable resources for understanding the personal and political dimensions of the Civil Rights Movement, the challenges of racial inequality, and the power of individual and collective action in the fight for justice. This collection is an essential tool for educators and students studying the history of the Civil Rights Movement, the legacy of nonviolent resistance, and the enduring impact of Rosa Parks as a catalyst for social change.
- Rosa Parks (1913–2005) is widely recognized as a symbol of resistance to racial segregation and a key figure in the American Civil Rights Movement. Her act of defiance on December 1, 1955, when she refused to give up her seat to a white man on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama, sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott, a pivotal event in the history of civil rights activism.
- However, Parks’ legacy extends far beyond this single act. She had been an active member of the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) in Montgomery for years, advocating for racial equality and justice. Her arrest brought national attention to the issue of racial segregation in the South and led to year-long protests that ended in the desegregation of Montgomery's public buses in 1956.
- Photographs in the Rosa Parks Papers offer powerful visual insight into Rosa Parks’ life, her involvement in the Civil Rights Movement, and the broader struggle for racial equality in the United States. These photographs are invaluable historical documents that help us understand Parks' role in the movement, her personal journey, and the impact of her actions on American society.
- What motivated Rosa Parks to take action on the bus in 1955, and how did this individual act of defiance contribute to the larger Civil Rights Movement?
- How did Rosa Parks' involvement in the Montgomery Bus Boycott reflect the core principles of nonviolent resistance and civil disobedience?
- In what ways did Rosa Parks' personal correspondence and writings reflect her role in the Civil Rights Movement?
- What role did women, especially African American women, play in the Civil Rights Movement, as demonstrated by Rosa Parks' activism and leadership?
Ohio Learning Standards for Social Studies
Grade 10–12 - American History, Indicator 4: Explain how and why the Civil Rights Movement was a response to systemic discrimination, including legal and social inequalities that African Americans faced in the United States.
- Students can examine the Montgomery Bus Boycott and Rosa Parks' actions as a direct response to racial segregation and discrimination, using her personal correspondence and photographs to understand her role in challenging these systemic issues.
Standard: U.S. History, Indicator 5: Explain the impact of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s on American society and politics, including the role of key events, figures, and legislation.
- Primary sources from Parks’ life can be used to discuss her leadership in the Montgomery Bus Boycott, her later contributions to voter registration efforts, and her role in advocating for economic justice. These documents show how Parks’ work extended beyond the 1950s and into broader efforts for racial equality and social justice.
Grade 9–12 - American Government and Civics, Indicator 6: Analyze the importance of key individuals and groups in shaping public policy and social movements, including how their actions impact government decisions and social change.
- By studying Parks’ writings, students can learn how her individual actions influenced both local and national policies on civil rights. This can also be connected to broader discussions on how individuals in history can shape public policy and affect long-term social change.
- The Rosa Parks Papers offer an invaluable opportunity for students to practice historical analysis and critical thinking by engaging with primary sources like letters, photographs, and other personal documents. Students can explore how Parks' personal writings reveal her motivations, beliefs, and reflections on the Civil Rights Movement. By analyzing these documents, students will learn to contextualize events such as the Montgomery Bus Boycott, evaluate the credibility of primary sources, and draw inferences about the role of nonviolent resistance in challenging segregation. To deepen their understanding of the historical context, students can pair this analysis with the powerful song “Strange Fruit” by Billie Holiday, a haunting ballad about the lynching of African Americans in the South. The song’s stark imagery contrasts with Parks’ personal narrative and serves as a poignant reminder of the violent racial injustices that Parks and others were fighting against, offering a broader emotional context for her activism.
- After studying the Rosa Parks Papers, students can compare the Montgomery Bus Boycott to contemporary social justice movements, such as Black Lives Matter or #MeToo, in order to analyze the evolution of protest tactics and activism. This comparison encourages students to recognize the continuities between past and present struggles for racial and social justice, noting how both movements employ nonviolent resistance and activism to challenge systemic oppression. Pairing this lesson with a video interview featuring Patrisse Cullors, co-founder of Black Lives Matter, will help students connect the Civil Rights Movement with modern activism. In the video, Cullors discusses the strategies, challenges, and goals of Black Lives Matter, drawing direct parallels to the legacy of Rosa Parks and the ongoing fight for racial equality today. This pairing allows students to appreciate the ongoing relevance of Parks' work and the shared principles of resistance across generations.
- While Rosa Parks is often highlighted for her role in the Montgomery Bus Boycott, many other women were also pivotal to the success of the Civil Rights Movement. To explore this often overlooked aspect of history, students can examine not only Parks’ personal correspondence, but also the contributions of other prominent women such as Ella Baker, Fannie Lou Hamer, and Diane Nash. After researching these figures, students can discuss the challenges faced by women in leadership roles within the movement. Pairing this exploration with the empowering poem "Still I Rise" by Maya Angelou will help students appreciate the strength and resilience of African American women in the face of both racial and gender-based oppression. The poem’s themes of resistance and self-empowerment mirror the experiences of these women, making it a powerful literary complement to the historical study of female leaders in the Civil Rights Movement.
- One of the primary challenges when teaching about the Civil Rights Movement is addressing the violence and systemic racism faced by African Americans, as well as the brutality that sparked movements like the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Rosa Parks' arrest and the descriptions of racial violence in resources like “Strange Fruit” by Billie Holiday or the photographs of lynchings can be deeply upsetting for students, especially younger ones. It is essential to create a safe and respectful classroom environment, where students feel comfortable discussing their reactions. Pre-reading discussions can prepare students for the difficult content, allowing them to process their emotions and ask questions. Emphasize that the goal is to understand the historical context and the resilience of individuals who fought against such injustice. Encouraging empathy and critical reflection on how these events shaped the world we live in today can help students understand both the pain and the strength involved. Students may struggle with understanding the magnitude of segregation and racial inequality that existed during Parks' time. The racism and oppression depicted in historical documents can be difficult for young people to confront, especially if they have limited prior knowledge of how institutionalized racism operated.
Links to resources for approaching those topics
- Teaching the Civil Rights Movement. This resource from Teaching Tolerance provides a comprehensive set of teaching materials focused on the Civil Rights Movement, including lesson plans, historical documents, and strategies for discussing sensitive topics like racism and violence in the classroom. Teaching Tolerance. Teaching the Civil Rights Movement. Southern Poverty Law Center. Accessed December 26, 2024. https://www.tolerance.org/classroom-resources
- The Civil Rights Movement: A Short History. This digital history resource from the Library of Congress provides an overview of the Civil Rights Movement through primary sources, photographs, and oral histories. It’s an excellent starting point for contextualizing the significance of Rosa Parks and other activists within the broader movement. Library of Congress. The Civil Rights Movement: A Short History. Accessed December 26, 2024. https://www.loc.gov/exhibits/civilrights/
- Rosa Parks Joins the NAACP's Montgomery Branch Photo - This photograph helps center Parks within a major city and group within the Civil Rights Movement. It demonstrates her long-standing commitment to Civil Rights.
- Photo of Rosa Parks Outside an Alabama Courthouse - This photo captures the moment Rosa Parks and other civil rights demonstrators are approaching an Alabama courthouse, where they are sentenced for breaking anti-boycott laws.
- The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks by Jeanne Theoharis offers a deeper and more nuanced portrait of Rosa Parks beyond the popular image of her as a tired seamstress, who spontaneously refused to give up her seat. Theoharis argues that Parks was an intentional activist whose involvement in the civil rights struggle was long-standing and deeply political. Theoharis, Jeanne. The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks. Boston: Beacon Press, 2013.
- Eyes Off the Prize: The United Nations and the African American Struggle for Human Rights, 1944–1955 by Carol Anderson. This book explores the ways in which the African American civil rights struggle was influenced by global human rights movements and how figures like Rosa Parks and others sought international recognition for their demands for equality. Anderson, Carol. Eyes Off the Prize: The United Nations and the African American Struggle for Human Rights, 1944–1955. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2003.
- The Montgomery Bus Boycott and the Women Who Started It by Jo Ann Gibson Robinson. This resource provides a first-hand account of the Montgomery Bus Boycott, focusing on the role of women like Rosa Parks and Robinson herself in organizing and sustaining the boycott. Robinson’s personal reflections offer insight into the grassroots efforts that led to the boycott and the broader movement for civil rights.
- Robinson, Jo Ann Gibson. The Montgomery Bus Boycott and the Women Who Started It: The Memoir of Jo Ann Gibson Robinson. University of Tennessee Press, 1987.
- The Autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr. Edited by Clayborne Carson, this autobiography compiles King's speeches, writings, and personal reflections. This collection is essential for understanding the philosophy behind the nonviolent protest methods that Rosa Parks helped popularize. King's words reflect on the movement and illuminate his relationship with other key figures like Rosa Parks.
- King Jr., Martin Luther. The Autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr. Edited by Clayborne Carson. New York: Grand Central Publishing, 1998.
- Fannie Lou Hamer: A Voice for the Voiceless. This book, which compiles speeches, letters, and biographical information about Fannie Lou Hamer, presents a firsthand account of the life of a key figure in the Civil Rights Movement. Like Rosa Parks, Hamer was a woman who played a pivotal role in the struggle for racial justice, particularly in Mississippi, and her writings provide another layer to the narrative of activism in the 1960s.
- Hamer, Fannie Lou. Fannie Lou Hamer: A Voice for the Voiceless. Edited by Maegan Parker Brooks and Davis W. Houck. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 2011.